234 



TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. 



[November^ 



the pilot had been severely bitten by one some time before, 

 and was afraid; and so, instead of obeying me, they kept 

 striking it with a thick stick, which only hastened its descent 

 down the bank into the water, where, sinking to the bottom 

 among dead trees, it was quite out of our power. As near as 

 I could judge, the snake was fifteen or twenty feet long, and 

 as thick as my thigh. At Sao Gabriel I saw also, on the 

 rocks, asleep, one of the most deadly serpents of South 

 America, the Surucucu {Lachesis mutus). It is very hand- 

 somely marked with rich umber-brown, and armed with terrific 

 poison-fangs, two on each side ; it is much dreaded, as its bite 

 is said to be incurable. 



On leaving Sao Gabriel I was again attacked with fever, 

 and on arriving at Sao Joaquim I was completely laid up. 

 My Indians took the opportunity to steal a quantity of the 

 caxaga I had brought for preserving the fishes, and anything 

 else they could lay their hands on; so I was glad, on the 

 occasion of a slight remission of the fever, to pay their wages 

 and send them off. After a few days, the violence of the fever 

 abated, and I thought I was going to get over it very easily ; 

 but such was not the case, for every alternate day I experienced 

 a great depression, with disinclination to motion : this always 

 followed a feverish night, in which I could not sleep. The 

 next night I invariably slept well perspiring profusely, and, the 

 succeeding day, was able to move about, and had a little 

 appetite. The weakness and fever, however, increased, till I 

 was again confined to my rede^ — could eat nothing, and was 

 so torpid and helpless, that Senhor L., who attended me, did 

 not expect me to live. I could not speak intelligibly, and had 

 not strength to write, or even to turn over in my hammock. 

 A few days after this, I was attacked with severe ague, which 

 recurred every two days. I took quinine for some time with- 

 out any apparent effect, till, after nearly a fortnight, the fits 

 ceased, and I only suffered from extreme emaciation and 

 weakness. In a few days, however, the fits of ague returned, 

 and now came every day. Their visits, thus frequent, were by 

 no means agreeable ; as, what with the succeeding fever and 

 perspiration, which lasted from before noon till night, I had 

 little quiet repose. In this state I remained till the beginning 

 of February, the ague continuing, but with diminished force ; 

 and though with an increasing appetite, and eating heartily, 



